Is it fair to ask a candidate how they voted for another office? Should you ask them if they are Republican or Democrat if they are running in a non-partisan election?

Personally, I say yes. Local elected officials are representatives to state and federal governments and officials; they tell other officials what the people are saying. Unfortunately, the Republican Party has been commandeered by the far Right Tea Party Movement and the first thing they tell their officials is “you don’t need to speak with those who oppose us.”

Wait a second, once candidates become elected officials, they should communicate with everyone to explain their decisions and opinions. Democrats generally do it.

So, people hate President Obama, say ugly thinks about him and his wife then dare local elected officials to do business with the Obama Administration. Some mayors and city councilmen don’t want federal grant money because it’s from Obama or was from the Clinton Administration. They need to get ready for another Clinton Administration.

Folks laugh about questioning Obama’s birthplace and even his religion and local elected officials stand there and smile. That’s wrong. I am Democrat but I am quick to walk away from a liberal nut who thinks President Bush had prior knowledge of the September 11 attacks.

Check this: former Representative Jack Kingston got cool points for taking questions in forums at Savannah State University from liberal students. However, Jack playfully laughed when asked if candidate Obama was from the U.S.A. Later, Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed was the Georgia point person for getting federal funds to deepen the Port of Savannah, a project that meant countless jobs to our region. I think Reed took the lead because Obama staffers didn’t want to hear from Savannah congressman Kingston after the birther mess.

Today, Speaker John Boehner announced his resignation. Yesterday, he was meeting with the Pope and today he is gone. Boehner is a real dude and must have been overwhelmed by the love of the Holy See. Mr. Speaker must have told himself that he wanted no more of the Tea Party’s ugly influence on the Republican Party.

So, Rep. Sanford Bishop has done right by American farmers since day one because agriculture is Georgia’s number one industry. When the Tea Party came for Bishop with lies and made-up silliness, many local elected officials and ag leaders stood by smirking. We are talking about the same people who were constantly asking Bishop for this and that.

Speaker Boehner came to Albany, Georgia, and had a private meeting at Doublegate Country Club. You know Boehner tried to tell those knuckleheads that they could beat Bishop fair and square on fiscal issues but attacking a good man’s character was messed up. The Republican establishment doesn’t control the Tea Party, Fox News or talk radio. Those nasty attacks made us circle the wagons around Bishop and he won that election by the thinness of margins.

So, for stake of full disclosure, I have voted for Obama twice, Rep. Bishop every time after he beat Charles Hatcher, and a couple of Republicans in the GOP primary because there are no Dem primaries anymore.

Also, like many Black Democrats in Atlanta, I often vote for Senator Isakson because he is a good Georgian. Sometimes, we need reasonable members on the other team telling fools to shut up.

When these local candidates come around smiling, asked them if they voted for Obama, Bishop, Scott, Romney, Mccain or whoever. It’s funny how they get votes from Obama supporters but later hang with people who would like to see the worst happen to the president. I never wanted anything horrible to happen to a president and those who do are sick.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20.

Matthew 7:15-20

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every sound tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears evil fruit. 18 A sound tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus you will know them by their fruits.

Look, I am not saying some candidates are evil but they are sometimes around questionable people and say nothing. Senator John McCain was campaigning for president and an old lady got the mic and said Obama was a Arab. She didn’t even get the right part of the world. McCain took the mic back from her and said no madam, no madam…I don’t agree with him on issues but he is a good man.

What about asking candidates how they feel about the Black Lives Matter Movement? I think that could have been called Black Lives Matter Also.

Questions in general about the confederate flag seem unfair but questions about displaying that flag on city grounds are fair in my opinion.

Secretary Hillary Clinton recommended that Black Lives Matter activists get a more formal plan that involves solutions—good for her; good for them. One of the biggest question marks about Clinton’s path into the Oval Office is can she get most of the Obama voters back to the polls in November of 2016. If she does, she would be president because she will (in my opinion) receive a surprising percentage of suburban women who voted for McCain and Romney.

Some say bloggers have delusions of grandeur. Does Obamacare cover the treatment of this condition? Well, I want to make a few points that will hopefully (unlikely) reach important ears through the six degrees of separation.

Black Lives Matter: While I can appreciate civil disobedience to a certain degree, this bum-rushing the stage stuff would be dangerous in the gun-loving South. Also, they shouldn’t try that at a Minister Farrakhan speech because there would be more punches than at the last Ronda Rousey fight.

Because Black southerners are more moderate, Black Lives Matter might be surprised that many Blacks here think that equal outrage should be focused on Black on Black violence.

Judge Willie Lockette: Yes, he is grandfather of the football player from the Super Bowl but Lockette’s wisdom in Albany, Georgia, could save more people nationally than the number of fans in that stadium. I took Administrative Law class from him in grad school so I know his logic is like Thurgood Marshall meets Andy Griffin. While speaking to a fraternity’s youth group, Lockette broke down his recommendations for encounters with the police.

Lockette, who had a meeting with Simmons and some youth earlier this week to discuss the topic, talked about how young blacks should survive an encounter with police officers.

“We came up with a list of four Do’s and four Don’ts,” Lockette said. Things not to do include don’t react, don’t reach, don’t run and don’t resist. Running is a major no-no, Lockett said.

Lockette’s list of things to do:

“Do respect the police even if you think they are wrong; do use restraint; do record everything. You have a cell phone, use it; and do report any problems you might have.

“And always remember, you could be right, but you could also be dead right.”

Candidate Clinton: Winning elections involves three things: getting people to vote for you, getting people to vote against the other person/people and who stays home. Candidates have big egos and want people to vote for them because they are wonderful. But, consider the people who won office because people were voting against the other person (it’s like rebound kisses.) For example, Sonny Perdue became governor of Georgia because people were voting against then Governor Roy Barnes’ changes to the state flag and some changes to the educational system. Hell, some voters couldn’t pick Perdue out of a line up but he rode that wave.

The “stay home” factor is a two-edged sword for Clinton. The bad edge involves infrequent voters who voted for Obama because he was such a wonderful person (like Bill Clinton and some think Ronald Reagan) but who would blow off the next election.

The good edge for Clinton will be the fact many conservative voters are so particular about their issues and candidates than the might blow off the GOP nominee because that candidate knocked out their guy/gal or isn’t hardcore enough on a few issues. From the grave, Reagan is saying take the most electable conservative and from Atlanta reasonable Republican Charlie Harper of Peach Pundit is telling his fellow conservatives that Donald Trump will make Hillary Clinton president for sure.

Solutions: While Black Lives Matters is grabbing mics like Run/DMC, the southern effort to help our communities starts with listening to Judge Lockette’s wisdom about being right and dead.

Secondly, since Clinton called for solutions and an organized plan, someone from her camp (and every political camp) should spend an hour reading Project Logic Ga’s Best Interests Initiative. BII isn’t actually about what elected leaders can do for the people, it’s about the people functioning smarter after acknowledging that we must do for self first and that there isn’t always a governmental solution to every personal and community problem. Yeah, I must have some serious delusions of grandeur jumping off because I think those nine blog posts could/should heal the divide in this country.

To Democrats, BII is a starting point to secure moderates and maybe restart the conservative section of the Blue Team. To Republicans, BII is how you’ll should approach others with conservatism but don’t.

Secretary Hillary Clinton becoming president could come down to getting out the Democrat base in November 2016 and that won’t be easy because something fresh and different must be crafted. Yes, she is a thousand times better for our community than most of the GOP candidates but that isn’t enough. Democrats must frame their approach to our community post-Obama.

History will remember Barrack as a great president—one of my three favorites of all times. We remember that candidate Obama said he wasn’t running to be the president of Black America and he was correct; he is the president of the all of America. With that said, Blacks can finally see that who is in high office is secondary to what we do for self. John F. Kennedy said “ask not what this country can do for you….ask what you can do for this country.” What you can do is stop messing up and stop waiting for the government to fix your life.

At church yesterday, the head of the Stewards Board made a brief speech that centered on our community now being free but stated that with freedom has come a freedom to rob, kill, steal and do other detrimental things.

I have been saying for years that we are our own worst enemies. In the post-Obama era, we need an honest and frank discussion about how we carry ourselves. Hillary Clinton’s campaign could go the way of Al Gore’s if the Black community doesn’t feel that voting is important. After everything the Clinton/Gore White House did for regular people, these same people didn’t feel the need to vote for Al Gore…unbelievable.

So, the zillions of dollars that will be in the elect Hillary movement should be used in part to explain to our community that Democrats are about us more than the GOP. No, Blacks won’t vote for the Republican nominee because the crazy part of their party keeps us away but Blacks might stay home.

Surprisingly, Rachel Dolezal and Louis Farrakhan could tilt the balance of power in a way similar to Elian Gonzalez and Al Gore. Remember, the Cuban boy who was sent back to Cuba by the Clinton Administration. I knew right then that this issue would determine who would be president and the election came down to south Florida, pregnant chads and all that drama.

Rachel Dolezal is a White civil rights activist who decided at some point to self-identify as Black. There have always been White Americans doing serious work for the advancement of racial equality; their efforts and achievements exceed those of most Black people. But, she should have said I am White technically but Black culturally.

The presidential campaign problem is this: Dolezal felt the need to become Black because she likely knew that Blacks are weary of non-Blacks telling us how to feel, think and action. You know we all loved Bill Clinton as the first socially Black president until we actually had a Black presidential candidate. Remember, all hell broke loose when the Clintons tried to tell their long-time Black friends that being with Hillary was the thing to do. But, we (yes, me included) said Obama is special…not because he is Black but because he is just special….Washington, Lincoln, JFK, special. Oh, Bill Clinton is one of my favorite presidents of all-time but he couldn’t get me away from Barack.

In the South, Blacks now make up most of the Democrat Party because most rural Whites (former Dixiecrats) bounced for the GOP. However, the leadership of the Dem Party is still rich White people. In Georgia, I call them the Buckhead crew. The old saying goes “real power is who is at the table when the money is counted….not who is on the stage during the speeches.” The Buckhead crew eats and Blacks get the crumbs afterwards…just like the plantations of old. It’s based on color and that color is money green.

The Buckhead crew and the national DNC try to win in Georgia by getting out the vote in Atlanta. But Atlanta Blacks are too liberal to vote for moderate Dems like the recent U.S. Senate and governor candidates. That energy should have been spent getting out moderate to conservative Black voters in areas that support Rep. Sanford Bishop and former Rep. John Barrow. Hillary could win Georgia with non-Atlanta Blacks, White suburban moms and the ATL base. Rachel Dolezal has us thinking about who is at the top and that’s thinking that Hillary doesn’t need.

Minister Louis Farrakhan drives the Buckhead crew crazy because he could plant a seed of doubt with Blacks about Democrat leadership. First, Farrakhan’s views on Middle East and religion aren’t on the table in this blog post. Peace to all three Abrahamic faiths from this Black Methodist. I will say that Psalms 82 makes the Dems seem more in tune with Biblical teachings regarding the needy than the GOP.

Psalms 82

82 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

In the post Obama era, we remember that Farrakhan and Black nationalists have been encouraging Blacks to do for self, eschew governmental assistance and getting ourselves together for over half a century. Psalms 82 could play out today like this: help those who might become poor not become poor in the first place. Paul wrote that those who don’t work shouldn’t eat. Some feel that Democrats handouts since LBJ have limited Black growth. Farrakhan recently did a radio interview in preparation for another massive Washington rally and everyone on Hillary’s team should listen to the whole thing.

In the future, the conservative movement will realize that Farrakhan’s message to our community is similar to their message. Hillary Clinton has time to craft the next phase of our community’s relationship with the Democrat Party. The approach should be more about self-determination than assistance.

Will the Black vote baton be passed from Obama to Hillary, will it be intercepted by an innovative elephant like Rand Paul (unlikely) or will it fall to the dirt? With so much time before the presidential primaries, candidates have time to test and research new projects to reach all voters—run it up the flag pole and see who salutes.

Of course, all campaigns should be reading Project Logic Ga’s Best Interest Initiate because I have personally crafted a unique budget-friendly approach to many southern concerns.

Recently, the Hillary Clinton campaign announced the hiring of LaDavia Drane, former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, as outreach director and point person for the Black community. Ms. Drane seems really bright and hopefully she will acknowledge the diversity of the Black community across this great nation. To me, the CBC and BET has a thing about being “urban” this and “urban” than; like the Black community in Georgia is only the A-T-L.

Well, a quick look at last year’s elections would indicate that Atlanta Blacks didn’t care for Democrat candidates for governor and U.S. Senate who spent more time bragging about connections to old Dixiecrats and current Republicans than embracing the Democrat in the Oval Office. Some of the time and energy spent trying to get the Atlanta vote out should have been spent on the rest of Georgia where Black voters are more moderate to conservative. But, people sitting in strategy rooms in the DNC see Atlanta as a big juicy peach and the rest of Georgia as a pit.

Hillary Clinton could win Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia with ease if the suburban soccer moms support her. It could be a national landslide for Clinton if that demographic was paired with most of the Obama voters but the uncertain segment of the Obama coalition is called Cousin Pookie.

President Obama coined the term Cousin Pookie for inconsistent voters. Pookie would be the guy who voted for Obama during the presidential elections but didn’t vote for any other candidates on the ballot (i.e. the Congress that Obama needed). Pookie doesn’t vote in midterm elections that often.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: Starting tomorrow, you can vote too. You’ve got to grab your friends. You’ve got to grab your co-workers. You know, don’t just get the folks you know are going to vote. You’ve got to find Cousin Pookie, he’s sitting on the couch right now watching football, hasn’t voted in the last 5 elections, you’ve got to grab him and tell him to go vote.

That Leader of the Free World Obama really cracks me up; he was so right. But peep this: Democrats and Republicans should sit down on the couch with Cousin Pookie and ask him why he doesn’t feel the need to vote. Wait a second, Pookie is over his mom’s house; a house purchased under a USDA first time homebuyers program. He has countless friends who used military service as a ticket to a secure and better life. Of course, Pok should be watching CNN during half-time of the football game because the wrong President could send those homeboys and homegirls in uniform into harm’s way for questionable reasons.

What would happen if Pookie was looking for CNN and came across Sen. Rand Paul, a GOP presidential candidate with some interesting views on prison cost and weed. Paul is making a real effort at outreach.

In Georgia, Cousin Pookie might live in Hotlanta but he has folks from rural areas and the five or six smaller cities. That would be Cousin Ray Ray. Ray Ray served in the military after graduating from high school; he has never been in trouble with the law in his life. When Ray watches the Democrats on T.V., he see a bunch of liberals who are breaking their necks to give free stuff to folks who have never show any personal initiative. Actually, Ray Ray and his co-workers at the plant are pissed that their tax dollars are being used for more handouts than handups.

Cousin Ray Ray agrees with some of the conservative messages from talk radio in his F-150 or Ram with a Hemi but the next thing you know the talk about the President turns ugly and mean-spirited.

With so much time before next year’s election, the Dems and GOPers have time to listen to Pookie and Ray Ray. Someone needs to come up with a fresh approach; something that’s about solutions and answers. In the South, many Whites who voted for Bill Clinton are deep, deep into the conservative movement. They are going, going, gone like a Braves home run. To win, Hillary must replace them with suburban voters and rural Obamacrats.

I personally think the conservative movement has been hijacked by the most radical element but the Republican presidential nominee won’t need to say “they are sitting on their tailgates…listening to NASCAR.” Oh, conservatives vote without encouragement and one voting conservative carries more weight than 1,000 non-voting Cousin Pookies.

There are those who think that listening to positive Cousin Ray Ray’s personal history and opinions will get Ray Ray voting and that Cousin Pookie should be listening to Fox News’ coverage of the GOP primary season. If Fox doesn’t scare him off the couch, he isn’t coming off and Dems should let him feel the wrath of the Tea Party.

Naw, that wouldn’t be right. I was reading about Esther in the Bible today and she said in Esther 8:6 For how can I endure to see the evil that shall come unto my people? Or how can I endure to see the destruction of my kindred? While the GOP isn’t exactly evil, some of them can be quite naughty.

Zora Neale-Hurston said “All my skinfolks ain’t my kinfolks.” At some point, my community might need to spend more time and energy on the positive segments and less on Cousin Pookie. In time, Pookie will get the message and decide to become Paul, Jr., an American voter.

Blacks and Whites are in a world of trouble politically in the South; I don’t care what the election results say. We are a house divided and it’s never healthy having political parties of one color. Never.

Steve and Cokie Roberts breakdown some amazing numbers and facts in their column recently but the essence is that Whites have left the Democrat Party in the South for the GOP and therefore the Dems are mostly Black. The GOP in the South control most governorships and state houses but as of January, there won’t be a White Democrat in the U.S. House or U.S. Senate from the South.

To me, elections could have been won if the people that the Clinton White House and the Obama White House sought to help would have simply voted and if the GOP far right wasn’t a well-oiled fear machine.

But, the reality is this: everyone better figuring out what is in our best interests and function accordingly. It’s not in our best interests as southerners if GOP leaders win elections and the far right dares them to dialog with the rest of the population. Perhaps, those people who Dems help who don’t vote will be forced into living differently when they realize that the people winning elections aren’t baby-sitting them. Hey, tough love or tough hate could get things moving.

Let me make it plain: the Black community needs to have a relationship with whoever is sworn into office. Secondly, we need to have a frank discussion about living better without government being at the center of our universe. Lastly, it might be time to sub-divide the interests of our community because we are spending too much time, energy and resources on a certain segment— a segment that needs everything but won’t vote.

Hillary Clinton would be a great president but the Dem Team better come up with a plan of substance. If not, the door could be open for Senator Rand Paul or Governor Jeb Bush to secure the most productive selection of our community by finding something new and by telling the crazies on the Red Team to chill. I hate to say it but our community might need to show numbers in the GOP primaries to select Republicans who are less nutty because that’s where the decisions are being made.

The Democrats failed in the mid-term elections for reasons that were clear to most—except them. I knew a year ago (no five years ago) that I would be writing these points today.

Money: Dems in Georgia raised and spent enough money for Nunn and Carter to win but they spent it in the wrong places. Most voters are unaware of the cottage industry surrounding elections, an industry that centers on Buckhead in Atlanta. First, you find a candidate who can raise tons of dollars with our friends then you hire our other friends to run the campaigns and still other friends to produce and do media buys for a zillion TV ads. How many people didn’t vote because they were weary from campaign ads?

The people inside this cottage industry won the election a year ago when they secured legacy candidates like Michelle Nunn and Jason Carter, rich fellows like David Perdue and sitting congressmen like Jack Kingston and a few others. They had the money makers.

Better Money: If Nunn and Carter listened to seasoned cats like Sanford Bishop, they would have cut the media buy money by a third and put that money on old school street teams outside of Atlanta. When the original Carter and Nunn were winning in the 1970s, the Dems knew to secure the support of old ball coaches, funeral directors, barbers, pastors and other community leaders. These community leaders would put together teams of workers who made a few dollars. Grandmothers would be so proud that their family members were involved and leading rallies.

I knew Michelle Nunn would make a great senator but her work history involving volunteerism concerned me from the start. Black folks aren’t volunteering when they can see that you spent millions on T.V. ads. They should have spent those millions on rally D.J.s and those free hot dog trucks. Food and old school music will get the crowd out and that’s when you hook them with warmth.

Learning from Florida: There are two important lessons we can learn this election season from our neighbors to the south. First, Gwen Graham won a U.S. House in North Florida by striking a correct balance between T.V. ads and community events. Of course, she is from a famous political family but she rolled up her sleeves and pressed pressed pressed the flesh at dozens of free food events. Hey, we like free food and Frankie Beverly music. Graham took it home last week with a free Jimmy Buffet show…nice.

Secondly, Governor Rick Scott narrowly won reelection by running up the numbers in rural areas to counterbalance big Dem numbers in the Florida cities. In Georgia, we have city Blacks in Atlanta, Blacks in the next five cities (Columbus, Albany, Macon, Savannah and Augusta) and rural Blacks. Obviously, the plan was to get metro Atlanta to balance the GOP’s rural base. But, those Blacks in Atlanta are real liberals who weren’t going to get pumped up to help Michelle Nunn while she ran from President Obama and ran to Governor/Senator Zell Miller. Yes, Miller was a great Georgian back when but he spoke at the GOP national convention for Obama’s opponent. Black folks have memories. On the other hand, rural Blacks are more conservative and more likely to support moderates like Sanford Bishop. The Democrat efforts should have started by listening to Bishop.

Second guessing: The Democrat Party in Georgia spent the last year trying to get White Republicans to switch back…newsflash “They are gone.” The party spent less energy getting the Obama base out.

Future: Michelle Nunn is still a big winner because she is position to be the Dem Senate candidate when Senator Isakson retires. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed would be the natural candidate but you know the cottage industry mentioned above must eat and they eat exceptionally well. Again, getting money is more important than winning.

Black diversity: This blog started years ago as an effort to convince our community to take a better look at the details of politics and policymaking. Both major political parties have incorrect approaches to us. We need to take a hard look at the role political hope plans in how we carry ourselves because the parties and the government are indirectly hurting us.

Heston at the 1963 Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C with Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte.

My daily devotion today covered 1 Peter 2: 13-14. “Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”

Would someone kindly explain to me how some southerners ignored federal laws since the end of the Civil War whenever they pleased? It continues in some form to this day. Gangbangers and thugs are un-American to me and these southerners are also. I could put them in the same category as the Klan, the Taliban, ISIS, and the mafia. Okay, that’s being a little dramatic but I am rightfully ticked off at these folks.

“Charlton Heston is my president” read the bumper sticker in the 1990s. Really? Bill Clinton was the president and you fools are pissed because he won the elections fair and square. Of course, Heston was leader of the NRA at the time and back in the day he earned cool points for being in the civil rights fight with MLK and company. But, the NRA crowd should play like that; it’s borderline treason while being protected free speech.

George Bush “became” president over Al Gore in a questionable election—the most questionable in history. But, Bush was still my president because I respect the democratic process. Barrack Obama wins two elections yet the Right uses every dirty trick in the book to undermine him and his supposedly Kenyan White House. The cherry on top is the effort the suppress voting by these people who evidently shouldn’t be voting. Again, we are talking about un-American activities and I think limiting people’s right to vote fits in that category.

So, what’s the best reaction to these actions? Voting and standing up for yourself. You know, President Obama is such a nice guy; he might actually be too nice. As he says, he is a thin guy but he is tough. Well, the tough guy has some supporters who are rough in a good way. Without dancing around with floury talk, we need to speak to the regular folks about what the Right does and says when they think no one is watching. It would be so sweet to see the look on their faces when they realize that “unlikely voters” voted. President Obama might be bracing for two years of hell if the Republicans take the U.S. Senate but we aren’t going to let that happen. You don’t get to humiliate his gentleman because those who put him in office didn’t follow-up by voting for the House and Senate.

Not so fast! The far Left is a zany as the far Right. Once and for all, the government cannot provide housing and food for everyone forever—that would be socialism, not democracy. The government should hopefully working toward the fair opportunity for every American to achieve a nice life but (as Prince sang in “Pop Life”) everyone can’t be on top. The nice life goes to those who put in the work and kept it clean.

In my community, we are always talking about the ongoing plantation in America. Yet, some people dream about a second Civil War that will get us back to pre-1865—do you really think private ownership of military weapons is for home protection and hunting. Oh, those weapons for hunting all right but not whitetail deer (I better stop writing here.)

But, the Democratic Party feels like a plantation also in a different way. How Black is that party in Dixie but the decisions and power rest with the few in the big house. The old saying goes “who is in the room when the money is counted.” I love it; not who was on the stage or who holds office. Mr. Charlie is still running the South at the end of the day so let’s hope he is pleasant.

We should end this blog post by continuing with 1 Peter Chapter 2.

16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward.

19 For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.

20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.